VILLAGE INDUSTRIES (MOHAIR)

PROJ WAS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH A VILLAGE-LEVEL COOPERATIVE PROG PRODUCING SPUN YARN & OTHER ACTICLES USING MOHAIR. AID HAS PROVIDED 10% OF THE TOTAL PROJ COSTS. THIS EVAL INCLUDED DISCUSSIONS WITH PROJ STAFF MEMBERS. DISPITE SOME TIME LAGS,EVALUATORS CONSIDER THE PROJ TO BE SOUND. OVER THE PAST TWO YRS (THROUGH 5/79),909 SPINNERS WERE TRND. ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT SHORTFALLS IN PRODUCTION, THESE WERE DUE IN LARGE PART TO UNREALISTIC TARGETS. THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVEL ASSISTED IN DEVELOPING A LOCALLY MANUFACTURED SPINNING WHEEL,WHICH SELLS FOR $30 (IMPORTED MODELS COST $150). THE DEPT OF COOPERATIVES TAUGHT SPINNING GROUPS THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LESOTHO COOPERATIVES LAWS & BY-LAWS,AND PROVIDED RAW MOHAIR. THE INSTITUTE OF EXTRA MURAL STUDIES (PART OF THE NATL UNIV OF LESOTHO) PROVIDED STAFF,FUNDING,AND ASSISTANCE IN THE DESIGN OF THE COOPERATIVE EDUC PROG. THREE PRIMARY COOPERATIVES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED,WITH A FOURTH SCHEDULED BY THE END OF JULY. THE GOL WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN PRODUCTION,USING THE PROJECTED TOTAL OF 5000 SPINNERS BY 1983. CARE,HOWEVER HAS DETERMINED THAT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SPINNING WHEEL COULD INCREASE PRODUCTION SIGNIFICANTLY -- AND WITHOUT USING THE FULL 5000 SPINNERS. WHILE CARE IS NOT OPPOSED TO THE USE OF LABOR-INTENSIVE METHODS,FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE GOB WILL BE REQUIRED. CONSTRUCTION OF A WOOL MOHAIR PROCESSING PLANT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION TO PERMIT IN-COUNTRY PROCESSING RATHER THAN PROCESSING IN PORT ELIZABETH,SOUTH AFRICA. (CARE PROJ DONORS HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO FINANCE PROCESSING COSTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA.) PRICES FOR RAW MOHAIR INCREASED FROM $2/KG IN 1975 TO $12.4O/KG AND SELLS IT TO THE SPINNERS AT THE SUBSIDIZED PRICE OF $6/KG. IF PRICES CONTINUE TO CLIMB,SOME OF THE LESOTHO CRAFT CENTERS MAY BE FORCED OUT OF BUSINESS. BY THE END OF THE PROJ,MGMT WILL DEVOLVE TO THE NATL SECONDARY SERVICE INDUSTRIES(SISSCO). THE LESOTHO NATL DEVEL CORP & THE IRISH GOVT MAY ASSIST IN VILLAGE-LEVEL PRODUCTN OF HAND-KNITTED SWEATERS.